Blankenship joins boyfriend in prison after meth-fueled crime spree

BRANCH COUNTY — Lilyann Blankenship, 20, will serve four to 20 years in prison for her part in a January meth-fueled crime spree.

Circuit Judge Bill O’Grady imposed the plea bargain sentence, but not before chief assistant prosecutor Nora Geiger said more charges from her time in jail are expected.

Work sentence Branch County-area man sent to prison for January meth-fueled crime spree

“This crime spree that she and her co-defendant (Jason Work) went on seemed to be fueled by drugs. I'm assuming she's not on methamphetamines in jail. So based on that, she's still committing crimes,” Geiger said.

Blankenship was unhappy that she and another inmate were placed on “lockdown.” She used a plastic tote to beat on his cell door 22 times until the window broke. Geiger also dismissed larceny that occurred in jail.

Blankenship and Work pleaded no contest to the first-degree home invasion of Edwin Munger, a man who took in the homeless couple on several occasions. Work used a knife to take a television and printer, along with his car keys, from Munger's Rose Street home on Jan. 3.

Work received 10-20 years in prison last week from Judge O’Grady.

“I want to apologize for not only the things that I've done to Mr. Munger, but the stuff that I did to the community," Blankenship told the judge. "Dealing with the retail fraud and everything, I just have nothing else to say, but I'm really sorry.”

The retail fraud happened when Blankenship went into Super Liquors II on West Chicago on the night of Jan. 7. When her credit cards were rejected, she grabbed $556 worth of cigarettes, five vape pens and numerous lottery tickets and ran.

Work drove away, leading Coldwater Police on a high-speed chase through residential areas of the city. The couple crashed the car and ran. They took another car and disappeared. Citizens’ tips led Coldwater police to them the next afternoon inside a fast food restaurant.

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As part of a plea bargain, charges of auto theft, larceny and possession of meth were dismissed. All took place in the first week of January while Work and Blankenship continuously used methamphetamine.

Blankenship received 16 months to two years for resisting arrest. She also received 296 days’ time served for the retail theft.

— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR.

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Lilyann Blankship sentenced to 4-20 years prison after January meth-fueled crime spree